Winter mud management affects bottom line

The Pierce County Conservation District will teach livestock owners how to manage mud in ways that pay off later.

Published on January 2, 2014 9:57AM

Managing midwinter mud will pay off come spring and summer, representatives of the Pierce County Conservation District say.

The district has scheduled two January classes to help livestock owners cope with the accumulation of mud.

The Conservation District’s main concern is runoff, but good practices also benefit the bottom line, said René Skaggs, director of the district’s farm planning and agricultural assistance program.

Immediate concerns are animal health issues like foot rot and thrush, she said, plus the mud makes it harder to feed and care for the animals.

“Later, when it dries up, you’ll have more weeds,” Skaggs said. “In addition to regular pasture management classes, this ‘Surviving Winter’ class grabs people’s attention while the iron is hot: Here’s what you can do, practical tasks.”

Growing more grass and fewer weeds saves money on feed and herbicides. Composting can save money on disposal and fertilizer costs can reclaim lost space.

Both presentations will be from 1-3 p.m.:

• Jan. 11 at Cenex Inc., 15824 66th Ave. NW in Purdy, the session will be led by Erin Ewald, who manages the watershed management program at the Pierce County district.

• Jan. 12 at the Graham Library, 9202 224th St. E in Graham, the session will be led by Skaggs.